CHARLOTTE — This portion of the offseason is spent talking about what's to come and what has been. DK Metcalf recently pondered on the latter, while on a podcast with Marshawn Lynch and Michael Robinson. The Steelers receiver, who spent his entire career up till now with the Seattle Seahawks, shared his "Welcome to the NFL" moment that humbled him immediately.

Metcalf was a second-round pick out of Ole Miss and made his mark on the league in no time as a rookie. In Seahawks opening game that 2019 season, the receiver pulled in four receptions for 89 yards, a franchise record for receiving yards by a player making his debut. By the end of the season, he would also set a record for most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game, 160 yards and a touchdown, and had 900 yards in the regular season.

It was a banner year for a rookie, but also held one of his, admittedly, most humbling moments on a football field, and one he remembers to this day. It was in Week 15 of the 2019 season. Panthers legend Luke Kuechly was playing in what would become his last season, but he was far from declining.

"I think D-Mo or somebody had to pin the D-end," Metcalf recalled for the podcast. "I got to come around it, I got the second level. I see this—I mean, I ain't ever got," he said, acting out an aggressive hit.

"You got bodied," Lynch asked.

"I came around there," Metcalf continued, "wrapped around, trying to get set. (Kuechly) threw me over the pile. I got up looking around."

As Lynch made fun at Metcalf's expense, promising him everyone saw the moment, the receiver continued, "Luke Kuechly is the only one that actually put hands (on me) and he's the only one that I actually was like, 'that's a Hall of Famer.'"

To Metcalf's point, Kuechly will be an automatic finalist for the Hall of Fame next season, after making it to the final 15 finalists this year. He went on to retire at the end of the 2019 season, and Metcalf has since been named to two pro bowl's and posted three different 1,000-plus yard seasons.

It was that moment with in Carolina with one of the game's best though that helped him become the receiver he is now.

"I said never again," Metcalf laughed in the extended clip from the podcast. "Never again will I let somebody to that to me as a human. You're coming with me next time you try to throw me. But yeah, Luke Kuechly got my respect."